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Missouri’s Pinkel on scheduling Kansas: It’s an open invitation

The Border War between Missouri and Kansas was played 120 times between 1891 and 2011. As most rivalries have done in the recent realignment phase, this particular one was put to rest when Missouri left the Big 12 along with Texas A&M to join the SEC in 2012. The two rivals have shown no signs of rekindling the rivalry anytime soon as non-conference opponents, although that could change with the SEC’s new scheduling policy. Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel at least seems open to the possibility, saying during a Google Hangout on Wednesday afternoon the Jayhawks have an open invitation to meet again on the football field.

Gary Pinkel asked about playing Kansas on the Google Hangout: “It’s an open invitation. There’s some pouting going on still.”

— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) May 7, 2014


Pinkel on Kansas (cont.): “It’s unfortunate, but it will happen again someday. It will.”

— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) May 7, 2014

Starting in 2016, Missouri and every other SEC member will be required to schedule at least one game against a program from another power conference, such as the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten or Pac-12. For Missouri, could this be an opportunity to reunite with a longtime rival? According to FBSchedules.com, Missouri has only one non-conference match-up with a team from a power conference scheduled between 2015 and 2019 (at Purdue in 2018). Kansas does not have as many openings to work with full non-conference commitments through 2017 and one spot to fill in 2018, but there could be a possibility of getting the rivalry back on the schedules for both in 2019 if there is mutual interest in doing so.

Pinkel has opened the door. Now we wait to see if Kansas will step through it.

Of course, it is now the responsibility of Kansas to make sure Missouri is fulfilling its scheduling requirements, nor should it be. However, in an era that has tossed some storied rivalries by the wayside, it would be nice to see some of those wounds healed.

Missouri leads the all-time series with Kansas 57-54-9 or 56-55-9, depending on which school you ask.

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